Printing machine



July 12, 1932.

W. J. LASCELLES ET AL PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 28, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 1 y 2, 1932. J. LASCELLES ET AL 1,866,9

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 28, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 12,1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM JOSEPH LASCELLES, MAGNUS FRASERPETERSON, JOHN RUSSELL SCOTT, AN I) KENNETH JFvICCLYMONT WILSON, 0FMANCHESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIST-ICES ADDRESSOGRAPH COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND,OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE PRINTING NIACHINE Application filedNovember 28, 1931, Serial No. 577,736, and in Great Britain September 2,1930.

nism.

Another object is to provide an auxiliary printing mechanism embodying aprinting form including a part which moves lnto an inoperative positionwhen the auxiliary printing mechanism is not arranged for properoperation.

A further object is to provide a counting device in I association withan auxiliary printing mechanism so as to be operable 1 thereby and to soarrange the counting device that unauthorized access thereto may beprevented.

A still further object is to provide an 811K11- iary printing mechanismof simple and economical construction and positive and efficientoperation. 1

In the accompanying drawings wherein a selected embodiment of theinvention is illus trated Fig. 1 is a partial sectional view of themechanism associated with an addressing machine;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. l with the coverplates removed Fig. 3 is a plan view in which a portion of the housingis broken away; and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 4- 1on Fig. 3.

The auxiliary printing mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings isadapted for use with an addressing machine as, for example, of the kinddisclosed in the Duncan Patent No. 1,301,237, patented April 22, 1919which is a hand-operated machine, but it is to be understood that theinvention is equally adaptable for use with power-operated machines. Themechanism includes a housing 5 having a two-part printing form thereincomprising dies 6 and 7. The housing 5 is mountthe anvil.

ed at the outer end of an arm 8 which extends from a housing 9 and belowthe anvil A at printing position in the machine. A print ing device Drests on the anvil to have a printing operation performed therefromthrough iii;

the ink ribbon R stretched thereover by the usual platen P of theprinting machine. The arm 8 and the housing 5 are so disposed that thedies 6 and 7 are arranged. at one side of The die 6 is fixedly mountedin the housing 5 while the die 7 is movable relative thereto andnormally a portion of the die 7 extends above the plane of the die 6 andthe face of the die 6 lies in the plane of the printing device D wherebyat the time the platen P is making an impression from the printingdevice D the platenP, associated with the platen P, will be making animpression from the dies 6 and 7 The platen section P may be detachablefrom the platen P so that it may be removed when it is not desired tomake impressions from the dies 6 and 7. The

die 7 is in the form of an elongated strip and has an opening 9 thereinadjacent the lower end thereof into which the lever 10, fast on 1 theshaft 11, is extended. The shaft 11 extends from the housing 5 throughthe arm 8 into the housing 9 and the medial portion of the shaft 11,disposed in the arm 8, is reduced to minimize friction. A spring 12 isdisposed about the shaft 11 and one end thereof is connected to a lever13, fast on the shaft, and the other end of the spring is secured to afixed pin 14 in the housing 9. The die 7 lies in the path of movement ofthe platen P and i when the platens move into position to perform aprinting operation the die 7 will be moved. downwardly thereby until theface thereof lies in the plane of the die 6 and the printing device D.This downward movement of the die 7 istransmitted through the lever 10to the shaft 11 and rotation of this shaftmoves the lever 13 fromposition on the horizontal center line shown in Fig. 2 to position onthe inclined center line and this downward movement may be utilized toopen ate a suitable device associated with the machine. Forexample, itmay be employed to operate a sheet feed or a sheet ejector but in thepresent instance this movement is utilized to operate a counting deviceof the common type. The lever 13 and the die 7 are retained in normalposition when the platen P ascends by the spring 12 for this spring iswound when the lever 13 moves as before described and is thereforeplaced under tension. Consequently when pressure is relieved from thedie 7, this spring will tend to unwind and reposition the parts and itwill hold the parts in normal position, that is to say, with the die 7extending beyond the plane of the de 6. The counting device is generallyindicated by 15 and is mounted in a housing 15 fast on one of the framemembers 16 of the printing machine. The operating arm 17 of the counting device is connected to the lever 13 by a link 18 which extendsthrough a hollow arm 19 that has opposite ends thereof connected to thehousings 9 and 15. Preferably the housing 15 is closed so thatunauthorized access thereto is prevented, a window 20 being provided insaid housing through which the counting device may be read. When thelever 13 moves in the manner previously described, the link 18 is moveddownwardly and consequently the operating arm 17 is moved fromengagement with the positioning stop and from the center line positionshown in Fig. 2 into the other center line position which causesoperation of the counting device. As soon as the platen P starts toascend, the spring 12 will tend to unwind, whereupon the lever 13 andconsequently the link 18 and arm 17 will be restored to their normalpositions.

The auxiliary printing mechanism can be conveniently used forfrankingpurposes and may be employed either as a stamp cancelling deviceor it may beused to print the postal marking. It is for this reason thatthe counting device is enclosed so that unauthorized access, thereto maybe prevented and therefore by taking readings from time to time postalauthorities may ascertain what changes are to be made or the countingdevice may be operated for other purposes. The franking form is partlyprovided on the die 6 and partly on the die 7 and consequently when theform of the die 7 is depressed into the plane of the die 6 the completeform will be printed and whenever the die 7 is depressed the countingdevice will be operated. However, if for any reason the die 7 does notextend above the die 6 so that the depression thereof will operate thecounting device}, the mechanism is so arranged that only the portion ofthe form provided on the die 6 will be printed for the die 7 is arrangedto fall below the plane of the die 6. It is apparent that the die 7 isdirectly connected to the counting device through the lever 10, shaft11, lever 13, and link 18', and it is also apparent that itis the spring12 which holds the die 7 in a plane above the die 6. Therefore, shouldthis. spring break the die 7 will fall and as stated it is soarr-angedthat; it

will fall below the plane of the die 6 and consequently the entire formwill not be printed upon operation of the platen P. Therefore, thepostal authorities or others interested may readily ascertain whether ornot the counting device is being operated, for if the die 7 is notoperated in the manner desired only the portion of the form appearing onthe die 6 will be printed and since this is incomplete detection iseasy.

In the foregoing description we have set forth a selected embodiment ofour invention but it is to be understood that this is capable ofvariation and modification and we there fore do not wish to be limitedto the precise details set forth but desire to avail ourselves of suchchanges and alterations as fall within the ambit of the followingclaims.

We claim:

1. A printing mechanism including a printing die embodying fixed andmovable parts having a printing form distributed thereon, and meansincluding a yieldable device and holding the movable part in cooperativerelation with the fixed part, said movable part bein free to moverelative to fixed part r on failure of the holding means to position theportion of the printing form on the movable part out of cooperativerelation with the portion of the form on the fixed part.

2. In a printing mechanism including a printing die embodying fixed andmovable parts having a printing form distributed thereon, meansincluding a yieldable device and holding the movable part in an extendedposition relative to the fixed part whereby the movable part is moved toposition the portion of the printing form thereon in cooperativerelation with the portion of the printing form on the fixed part uponapplication of printing pressure, said movable part being free to moverelative to said fixed part upon failure of the holding means toposition the portion of the printing form on said movable part out ofcooperative relation with the portion of the form on the fixed part, andoperative means independent of the printing form and connected with themovable part to be operated upon movement of said movable part againstthe action of the holding means.

3. In a printing mechanism including a printing die embodying fixed andmovable parts having a printing form distributed thereon, a housingenclosing the lower portion of said parts and having an extensionextending therefrom, a second housing at the end of said extension,holding means arranged in said housings and said extension and includinga yieldable device, said means holding the movable part in an extendedpositionrelative to the fixed part whereby the movable part is movedagainst the action of said holding means to position the portion of theprinting form thereon in cooperative relation with the portion of theprinting form on the fixed part upon application of printing pr ssure,operative means in the second housing, and means in the second housingconnecting the operative means to the holding means so that theoperative means is operated upon movement of said movable part againstthe action of said holding means.

4:. In a printing mechanism including a printing die embodying fixed andmovable parts having a printing form distributed thereon, meansincluding a yieldable device and holding the movable part in an extendedposition relative to the fixed part whereby the movable part is moved toposition the portion of the printing form thereon in cooperativerelation with the portion of the printing form on the fixed part uponapplication of printing pressure, a counting device, and meansconnecting themovable part to the counting device so that said countingdevice is caused to accumulate upon movement of said movable partagainst the action of the holding means, said movable part being free tomove relative to said fixed part upon failure of the holding means toposition the portion of the form on said movable part out of cooperativerelation with the portion of the form on the fixed part whereby animpresion is not made from the complete printing form and said countingdevice is not caused to accumulate when said movable part moves out ofcooperative relation with the fixed part upon failure oi the holdingmeans.

5. In a printing mechanism including a printing die comprising fixed andmovable parts having a printing form distributed thereon, an operativedevice independent of said printing form and including an operatinglever, another lever connected to said movable part, meansinterconnecting saic levers, and yieldable means cooperating with saidconnecting means and holding said levers in a predetermined position,said movable part being free to move relative to the fixed part toposition the portion of the form thereon out of cooperative relationwith the portion of the form on the fixed part, and said yieldable meansacting through the other lever to hold said movable part in cooperativerelation with the fixed part whereby upon failure of said yieldablemeans said movable part may move to position the portion of the formthereon out of cooperative relation with the portion of the form on thefixed part.

6. In a printing nechanism including a printing die embodying fixed andmovable parts having a printing form distributed thereon, a housingenclosing the lower portions of said parts and having an enclosedextension extending therefrom, a second housing at the end of saidextension, holding means arranged in said housings and said extensionand including a yieldable device and means supporting a portion of thehold ing means for rotative movement, said hold ing means holding themovable part in extended position relative to the first part whereby themovable part is moved against the action of the holding means toposition the portion of the printing form thereon in cooperativerelation with the printing form on the fixed part upon application ofprinting pressure, a counting device, a housing enclosing said countingdevice and having an extension extending to the second housing, a leverconnected to the rotative part of said holding means, a link extendingthrough the extension of the housing enclosing the counting device andconnected to said counting device, said lever and link acting to operatesaid counting device upon movement of the movable part against theaction of the holding means, said yieldable device repositioning saidmovable part and said link and lever upon relief of printing pressure.

7. In a printing machine which has an anvilsupporting a printing devicein printing position and a platen for making impressions from saidprinting device, the combination therewith of a printing mechanismincluding a printing die embodying fixed and movable parts having aprinting form distributed thereon, the portion of the printing form onthe fixed part being disposed substantially in the same plane as theprinting crevice on the anvil, means including a yieldable device andholding the movable part in extended position relative to the fixed partwhereby the movable part is moved to position the portion of theprinting form thereon in the same plane as the portion of the printingform on the fixed part upon application of printing pressure by saidplaten in an operation thereof to maize an impression from said printingdevice and printing form, said movable part being free to move relativeto said fixed part upon failure of the holding means to positiontheportion of the printing form on said movable part out of the plane ofthe portion of the form on the fixed part so that an impression is notmade from the portion of the form on the movable part upon operation ofsaid platen.

8, In a printing machine which has an anvil supporting a printing devicein printing position, a platen for making impressions from said printingdevice, and a counting de vice, the combination therewith of a printingmechanism including a printing die embodying fixed and movable partshaving a printing form distributed thereon adapted for cooperation withthe platen,the portion of the printing form on the fixed part beingdisposed in substantially the same plane as the printing device on theanvil, means including a yieldable device and holding the movable partin extended position relative to the fixed part whereby the movable partis moved to. position the porton of the printing fonn thereon in thesame plane as the portion of the printing form on the fixed part uponapplication of printing pressure by said 2, platen in an operationthereof to make an impression from said printing device and saidprinting form, connecting means interconnecting said movable part andthe counting device whereby the counting device is 5 caused toaccumulate each time the platen makes an impression from the printingform on said fixed and movable parts, said movable part being free tomove relative to the fixed part upon failure of the holding means toposition the portion of the printing form on said movable part out ofthe plane of the portion of the form on the fixed part so that animpression is not made from the portion of the form on the movable partupon operation of said platen and said counting device is not caused toaccumulate.

9. In a printing machine which has an anvil supporting a printing devicein printing position, a platen for making impressions from said printingdevice, and a counting device, he combination therewith of a housinghaving a printing die extending therefrom, said printing die embodyingfixed and movable parts having a printing form distributed thereonadapted for cooperation With the platen and having the portion of theprinting form on the fixed part disposed substantially in the same planeas the printing device on the anvil, said housing including an armextendin past said anvil to a second housing,

holding means arranged in said housings and said arm and including ashaft supported for rotative movement, means connecting said shaft tosaid movable part, and a spring acting on said shaft to hold the movablepart in an extended position relative to the fixed part whereby themovable part is moved to position the portion of the printing formthereon in the same plane as the portion of the printing form on thefixed part upon application of printing pressure by said platen in anoperation thereof to make an impression from said printing device andprinting form, a housing enclosing said counting device, a. hollow armconnecting the second housing and the housing enclosing the countingdevice, a lever in the second housing conneeted to said shaft, a linkextending through said hollow arm and interconnecting said lever andsaid counting device, the movement of said movable part upon operationof said platen being transmitted through said rotatable shaft, lever,and link to said counting device to operate said counting device uponeach operation of said platen.

"VILLIAM JOSEPH LASOELLES.

MAGNUS FRASER PETERSON. JOHN RUSSELL SCOTT. KENNETH MOCLYMONT WILSON.

